Blue Demons Stumble Against Cohesive Creighton Team 77-68

Friday, February 4

Chicago, Ill.

7:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

18-6,10-3Big East

Creighton

16-6,11-3Big East

Creighton

DePaul

Blue Demons Stumble Against Cohesive Creighton Team 77-68

2/4/2022 10:13:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Morrow, Church and Held's efforts not enough Friday night at Wintrust Arena

CHICAGO – For all the DePaul partisans who showed up at Wintrust Arena Friday night excited to kick off the weekend with a good, old-fashioned shootout on the South Side---they got their money's worth.

Two formidable offenses went toe-to-toe on a cold winter's night, and when the final horn sounded, the Blue Demons had dropped a 77-68 BIG EAST matchup with Creighton.

This tied for the lowest offensive output of the season as DePaul lost 75-68 in November to then-No. 9/12 Arizona at the Paradise Jam.

Aneesah Morrow, Deja Church and Lexi Held did their level best to try and pull this one out. Morrow led the home team with 21 points, 12 rebounds and four steals---her 16th consecutive double-double and 19th on the season to lead the nation.

Church's early energy drove the Blue Demons in the first half, and the graduate student came through with 17 points and eight rebounds. Held scored 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting while Sonya Morris fought through a subpar shooting night to score 11 points.

Creighton improved to 16-6, 11-3 in the BIG EAST while DePaul dropped to 18-6, 10-3.

The Blue Demons were protecting a 56-53 lead heading into the fourth quarter. It was down to one when Morris hit a short jumper. Creighton scored the next six for a 61-58 lead as DePaul coach Doug Bruno called timeout.

A 10-4 Bluejay run put the team from Omaha, Neb. ahead 71-62 with just over four minutes left, and the home team could get no closer than six the rest of the way. Bruno & Co. were outscored 24-12 in the fourth quarter.

DePaul came into the third quarter dead-set on erasing a 36-34 halftime deficit. Baskets by Church and Morrow followed by a Held three-pointer tied it at 41-41.

Held was just getting started. After a Bluejay foul shot, the point guard from Burlington, Ky. converted a three-point play and then scored on a hard drive to the hoop for a 46-42 DePaul lead at the third quarter media timeout.

The Blue Demons needed to get Sonya Morris untracked. The normally dead-eye shooting senior made just two of her first 13 shots.

Creighton was within 46-44 when Morrow was called for her third foul.

Decision time for Bruno. Out came the impact freshman as the coach chose to preserve her for the fourth quarter.

Circumstances dictated that Morrow return with 90 seconds left in the third quarter. She combined with Church and Darrione Rogers on a 7-0 burst, taking their team into the fourth quarter with a 56-53 lead.

Church was having a strong game with 17 points after three quarters on 7-of-12 shooting. It was compensating for Morris' off-night through the first 30 minutes.

It was as close as expected right from the opening tip. DePaul scored the game's first five points only to have Creighton score six-straight. The scoreboard read 10-10 at the first quarter media timeout as Morrow had seven points.

Tied at 14, two Church baskets (including a three-pointer) and a Rogers score closed out the quarter with a 7-2 burst and a 21-16 Blue Demon lead. Playing the entire 10 minutes, Morrow had nine points.

Church opened the second quarter with four-straight in building a 25-16 lead. The Bluejays proceeded to respond with seven unanswered points. Held cut that off with a smooth three-pointer.

The game remained tight with the score knotted 28-28 at the media timeout.

Back and forth it went with each team matching shot for shot. Two Morrow foul shots and one by Church kept their team even at 34-34 until Emma Ronsiek's layup just before the buzzer provided the visiting team with a 36-34 halftime lead.

Church had 13 points and four rebounds at the break while Morrow had 11 points and five rebounds.

DePaul will be right back at Wintrust Arena Sunday for a BIG EAST matchup with Providence that tips at 2 p.m. Providence lost by two Friday night at BIG EAST contender Marquette.

Postgame Notes

DePaul and Creighton paid homage at Friday night's game to the Black Fives, honoring the pre-NBA African-Americans of the early 1900s whose athleticism and innovative style of play helped popularize the game we know and love today.
DePaul's team represented the Club Store Coeds, a pioneering all-Black women's basketball team from the South Side that was so dominant that other women's teams eventually refused to play them. Led by 6-7 Helen "Streamline" Smith and playing against men's teams instead, the Coeds amassed a 41-game winning streak.
The Blue Demons lead the country in scoring and assists, and have put up 1,576 points in their last 17 games---an average of 92.7 per game. They have reached the century mark eight times to set a new school season record.
The record of six was set in 2014-15 (Brittany Hrynko, Jess January, Chanise Jenkins, Megan Rogowski & Co.) and matched by the 2016-17 team featuring January, Brooke Schulte, Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman.
Morrow came into the game leading the nation in double-doubles, rebounds, rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game and was second in field goals, third in points and eighth in steals. She now has 16 consecutive double-doubles and 19 on the season.
The 6-1 freshman has 160 points and 101 rebounds in her last six games---an average of 26.7 points and 16.8 rebounds.
Morris came into the game third in the nation in field goals and ninth in points while Held was sixth in assists.
Morris is now No. 17 on the all-time scoring list with 1,561 points. Melanie Ehrhardt (1,552) is No. 18. Jessica January (1,530) is No. 19. Held (1,498) is No. 20. Mfon Udoka (1,569) is No. 16 and Keisha Hampton (1,574) is No. 15.
Dee Bekelja has played in 137 games, tying Brooke Schulte and Chante Stonewall for fourth all-time. Ashton Millender holds the record with 144 games.
The Blue Demons are 3-5 against seven NCAA tournament teams---beating then No. 14/14 Kentucky, Northwestern and Rutgers and falling to then-No. 23/17 Texas A&M, No. 4/8 Arizona, No. 20/17 Notre Dame, Marquette and No. 10/9 UConn.
They are 3-1 against Wildcat teams---beating Kentucky, Northwestern and Villanova and falling to Arizona.
Held is the BIG EAST's active career scoring leader in conference games with 893 points.
Morrow has scored in double figures 22 of the first 23 games of her collegiate career.
DePaul is 17-7 outrebounding opponents including Arizona featuring 6-5 Lauren Ware and 6-3 Ariyah Copeland. They were outrebounded by Creighton 42-38 on Friday.